The present invention relates to helmets and more particularly to a mechanism for securing an eye protector to a helmet with improved characteristics.
A helmet (e.g., one worn by a worker) equipped with a transparent eye protector is well known. Conventionally, fasteners (e.g., screws) are driven to fasten the eye protector and the helmet together. Such simple prior fastening mechanism is typically trouble-prone and unreliable in use. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism including two units for securing a transparent eye protector to a helmet having a recess at either side. Each unit comprises a bracket integrally formed with one end of an arcuate frame of the eye protector. The bracket includes, at a free end thereof, an inner raised, round surface, a plurality of equally spaced apart radial ridges on the inner raised, round surface, an outer recessed, round surface, and a central hole through the inner raised and outer recessed round surfaces. Snapping means include two lower, resilient latched pieces inserted into each of the recesses for releasably securing to the helmet, a plurality of equally spaced apart radial ridges at an upper, outer surface, and a central aperture through the upper, round surface. Fastening means are driven through the central hole and aperture for fastening the snapping means and the bracket together. Pivoting of the ridges of the bracket about the ridges of the snapping means a predetermined angle is done by passing the ridges of the bracket over the ridges of the snapping means, thereby fixing the eye protector with respect to the helmet at the predetermined angle. By utilizing this mechanism, a trouble-free and reliable mechanism for securing an eye protector to a helmet is obtained.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.